Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community,
Happy birthday, or rather, happy ‘a year of birthday celebrations’, as we enter our 125th year as a Mercy community atop Rourke’s Hill here in Lilydale. Just as it is important that we celebrate milestones in the lives of our young people, it is important that we celebrate them as a community.
Spread all over my desk at the moment, as they are never far from reach, are a number of books and booklets to which I often refer.
Books about Catherine: The Little Book of Catherine of Dublin, Inspired by Catherine and the Mercy through the Years Calendar.
Books about Mercy: Sisters of Mercy.
And books that tell story about our College, of which there are many. The College’s annual publication Coolock is a great example which provides great history, but there are two which are favourites:
Mount Lilydale College: A Century of Mercy written (edited) by former staff member Mr Adrian Reilly, and, A Decade’s Turning 1975-1985.
They are favourites because they provide great story of the Sisters, staff, student body and parent community that worked as community to provide a College, the joys of which we share today.
We intend to mark this year with some key celebrations:
A committee has been working for more than 18 months to plan these events and hopefully COVID-19 will not impact them too much.
This year is a celebration of our story and so I wish to share with you some of that story with a collection of excerpts from the aforementioned book, Mount Lilydale College: A Century of Mercy:
The Lilydale Express, January 10 1896
LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS: We would direct public attention to the fact that on the 20th inst., a primary school will be opened in connection with the new Convent of Mercy, Lilydale. To those parents desirous of obtaining a high class of education for their children, an opportunity is now offered, for in conjunction with the above a high school will be opened. Full particulars of the establishment of these schools may be obtained from Rev, Mother at the presbytery, Clarke St Lilydale.
The Lilydale Express, April 10 1896
CONVENT OF MERCY, LILYDALE: Pupils for music, painting and fancy work will be received at the Convent of Mercy, Lilydale, after the Easter Holidays. The fancy work will include all the latest novelties – Rococo Work, Fish Scale Work, Tapestry Work, Point Lace, Mount Mellick Work, Raised Plush Work, Arasene Ivory Work, Hungarian Work, Macrame Lace, Leather Work, etc. Also CRAYON and PENCILDRAWING.
The Lilydale Express, November 13 1896
CONVENT OF MERCY, LILYDALE: The foundation Stone of the new convent will be laid on Sunday, November 15th at 3pm., by HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE. The REV. ISAAC MOORE S.J., will preach the occasional sermon. The public are cordially invited to attend.
God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal
Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need.
Almighty and ever living God,
you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus;
seeking you in those we often ignore.
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter.
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
Amen
With this warmer weather it is timely to remind families that during Terms 1 and 4 the College SunSmart Policy requires students to wear hats at recess and lunch. The only hat that is permitted is the College bucket hat. Replacement hats can be purchased from the Uniform Shop. Please ensure your child’s name is clearly written inside the hat. We also encourage sunscreen to be applied and this is available from various locations around the school.
Another important aspect of caring for your child is the College’s practices in regards to Child Safe Standards. This involves refining risk-management strategies, improving opportunities for student voice and developing staff awareness of best practice so that our students remain safe and empowered to seek help if the need arises.
Please make yourself familiar with the College’s Child Safe Policy by visiting the College website's 'Policies' menu, or click HERE.
The College meets this standard by ensuring that:
I trust that parents and guardians appreciate that the College takes the role of protecting students from harm seriously and that we are continually seeking to improve child-safe practices within the College.
An area that is often overlooked by students and parents is the process of making contact with each other during the course of the school day. I would ask that parents continue to observe the procedure of using the College Office if there is a need to contact students during school hours. While it may seem more straightforward to contact your child directly via their mobile phone, this can create other issues. Students can only be dismissed from the care of the school if we have prior contact from a parent. The same applies if you need to drop something off to your child during the course of the school day. Please do so through the College Office. Please support us by asking your child to have the College contact you if they are unwell or need your assistance.
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, are a temporary foster parent or a student between 16 to 18 years old and have a means-tested Disability Pension or Youth Allowance card, you may be eligible for CSEF. The allowance is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is $225 for secondary school students.
If you applied for CSEF at MLMC in 2020, you do not need to complete an application form in 2021 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. The College will apply for CSEF on your behalf. You will need to submit an application form in 2021 if any of the following changes have occurred:
Please note the following — if there is shared custody:
Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 1 as payments are made from March onwards. However, the College will be able to accept and process applications up until Friday 25 June 2021 (the last day of Term 2).
Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card.
CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years.
CSEF application forms are available to download from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/csef. We have also attached an application form. NO LATE APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED. For more information about the CSEF contact the Finance department on 9237 1315 or visit www.education.vic.gov.au/csef
The Bob Stewart Uniform Shop at the College is no longer open on a Saturday. Opening hours are:
The Croydon store is open on a Saturday. Its opening hours are:
The Croydon store is located at Ground Floor 1-3, 1-7 Maroondah Highway, Croydon (corner of Kallay St).
Our Year 7 students enjoyed a full and busy week of activities from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February to ensure they are set up for a smooth transition into secondary school.
Five homerooms headed to Gundiwindi Lodge in Wandin and the YMCA camp at Mt Evelyn Recreation Reserve for three days of Year 7 Camp on Monday 8 February, while the other five homerooms stayed at the College to take part in our Stepping Forward program. Then the groups swapped over on the Wednesday, ensuring all students had the opportunity to build close connections with their peers and teachers and build key foundations for a full year of learning.
The Stepping Forward program included online testing and tips for home study, author Sharon Witt (pictured in the gallery) was guest speaker on the topic ‘Surviving High School’, students received their Chromebooks and learnt about cyber safety, the Careers team discussed individual learning styles, the Counsellors workshopped ideas about friendships and settling in, students again visited the Library and they also visited our Chapel (pictured in the second image gallery below) where they learnt about our Mercy heritage and the story of Catherine McAuley.
I enjoyed camp because there were lots of different activities to do that got you thinking, exercising, and most importantly having fun. My group did the flying fox on the first day and we had to each talk about the 'something special' we brought along. We did more activities including initiatives, giant swing and banner making. My favourite activity was the giant swing because the adrenaline makes it feel exciting. There were also other things like night walks and trivia. My favourite part of camp was meeting new friends and hanging out with the animals. Camp was really fun!
— Alyssa Olszewski (7 Orange)
Gundiwindi Lodge, Wandin (Monday-Wednesday)
Camp was all about team building, making new friends and getting to know your class. And it definitely worked. I made new friends, got to know the people in my class, a lot better, and even got over some of my fears. My group (the Green Grizzlies) were super supportive to everyone and always made me laugh. To accomplish most of the activities you also had to use teamwork and strategy, while relying on and trusting your teammates. We laughed every time we got it wrong and tried again. I liked the giant swing because it was fun and an adrenaline rush. I liked initiatives because it was all about team building. For me camp was pretty darn good.
— Lily Cochrane (7 Green)
Gundiwindi Lodge (Wednesday-Friday)
Camp has given me the opportunity to get to know my peers and teachers a little more and at the same time experience what school camp is like, as unfortunately due to COVID-19 my Grade 6 camp did not go ahead. Year 7 Camp was an amazing, unforgettable experience. We were given the opportunity to do lots of fun activities such as crate stack, giant swing, low ropes, high ropes and we even got to make the class banner. I thought the giant swing was going to be the scariest, least-fun activity, but it turned out to be the best one. I did things I never thought I’d be able to do. The memories I had will last forever.
— Lara Mhanna (7 Gold)
Mt Evelyn (Monday-Wednesday)
We did lots of marvellous activities on the three days, including night walks, crate stack, high and low ropes courses, hut building and initiatives, but my personal favourite was the giant swing. Everyone else helped pull you to the top, or as high as you wanted. Then you would pull a rope and fly through the sky with the fresh air in your face. I made lots of new friends. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
— Sete Tevi (7 Bronze)
Mt Evelyn (Wednesday-Friday)
The activities we did were the giant swing, the flying fox, cooking damper, archery, ‘something special’ activity circle and the low ropes course. My favourite was the flying fox because it was fun to take a leap and be taken out of your comfort zone. We were also able to spend time jumping on the trampoline, playing volleyball with friends and peer support or visit the animals. I really enjoyed camp, I made new friends and had so much fun.
— Aiden Thomas (7 Green)
Gundiwindi Lodge (Wednesday-Friday)
Bronze, Silver and Jade went to the Mt Evelyn camp. The activities we did were crate stacking, giant swing, hut building, making a banner, low ropes, high ropes and initiatives. My personal favourite would have to be the giant swing, which was 18 metres high! All the staff were very nice and the lunches were delicious. We all had a great time and were laughing at the end of the initiatives activity. This camp was great fun and I would give it a 10 out of 10.
— Alannah Finn (7 Bronze)
Mt Evelyn (Wednesday-Friday)
Recognising that adolescents at Year 9 are undergoing developmental change, where peer relationships significantly impact wellbeing and classroom learning is seen as unconnected to the real world, this year the College is proud to introduce the Compass program for our Year 9 students.
The program began last week with students identifying and exploring their learning strengths. During the ‘Escape Room’ team challenge, team members with a range of skills were called on to build a hut out of icy pole sticks and tape, with a working door and the potential to withstand a storm. Other puzzles involved language skills, memory and concentration, sequencing and planning before they finally escaped the room. Collaboration is a key 21st century work habit that MLMC strives to teach all students as we prepare them for the future.
The Compass program will consist of two components:
Through the introduction of The Rite Journey students will receive tools which assist in the transition between adolescent and adult decision making, life skills and interpersonal development. The Compass program includes units of investigation based on the College Vision for Learning, and the Victorian Curriculum General Capabilities designed to improve engagement and learning habits.
The Rite Journey and Compass will occur on dedicated whole days each week so that learning has depth and students have time to develop their ideas, creativity and enterprise. Both collaborative and individual learning are encouraged, as are the development of thinking skills, study skills, passion in a desired area and social justice. Key elements include an off-site camp, career development, senior pathways selection, entrepreneurial skills, city experience and community engagement.
Every year in Year 10 we run a Peer Support Program that is designed to help empower around 50 Year 10 students to serve and support the student community at MLMC. The main focus at the start of the year is to help the new Year 7 students have a safe and successful transition to secondary school life.
After a full planning and training day at the end of last year, the Year 10 Peer Support team arrived at the College bright and early on the Year 7 students’ first day and spent the morning helping the Graduating Class of 2026 get settled in (pictured). You could see on the faces of the newest members of our community that they appreciated the kind, smiling faces that welcomed them on their first day.
The Peer Support team were also lucky enough to attend one evening at each of the two Year 7 camps. Hours of planning and teamwork helped these amazing student leaders to run more than one hour of fun team-building activities for their Year 7 peers. They were also able to support the Year 7 teaching team by helping run the post-dinner trivia and 'Fractured Fairytale' nights. As the Year 10 Level Leader, it really was a pleasure to witness such a large group of the cohort striving in their efforts to support, encourage and care for an entire year level of new students.
Although we are only a few weeks into the first term of 2021, the Year 10 Peer Support team have already been called on several times to serve and support their student peers. They have stepped up to the plate on every occasion so far and been so generous with their time and energy. I look forward to seeing everything that they are able to achieve this year, and into the years to come.
The Peer Support Program is the perfect starting point for students who want to participate in future leadership opportunities such as the Year 11 Yellow Ribbon Ambassadors program and a Student Leadership Team position in Year 12. The Peer Support Program is perfect for the Year 10 students of 2021 as it allows them to live out not only the College's Mercy value of Service, but the Year 10 Mercy value of Hospitality.
Year 12 is a year full of challenges and it takes resilience and commitment to succeed. To assist the Year 12 students at MLMC to start to think about and plan their final steps in their secondary school journey and career pathway, the students were involved in a Planning for Success Day on Thursday 11 February.
The aim of the day was to challenge the students to reach high so that at the end of the year they can look back at their final year knowing that they have given their best. Facilitated by staff, the students attended different sessions dealing with career pathways, as well as goal setting and health and wellbeing.
Academic goal setting is an important component in encouraging our students to reach high, and one of the sessions concentrated on challenging the students to set SMART goals in order to plan for the academic standard required to obtain an ATAR score that will provide them with the greatest opportunities as well as self-satisfaction at the end of the year.
The other part of the day focussed on health and wellbeing. The Year 12 year is a long one with continuous assessment competing with the need to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Year Level Leader Mr Andrew Leaumont and Barak Campus Learning Advisor Mrs Tamara Rundle spoke to the students about the need to look after themselves, working towards a growth mindset and the different support networks available when things get tough.
It was a very busy day with lots of information to take in but staff will be continuing to work with the students on their goals throughout the year as we work together to make 2021 a successful year for all.
The Year 10 cohort came together for an assembly on Tuesday 9 February. The first Year 10 assembly of the year has traditionally included a formal introduction to our Barak Campus, which is for our senior students in Years 10, 11 and 12.
Year 10 Level Leader Mr Greg Hysted invited Ian Hunter, a descendent of William Barak, to speak at the assembly as he wanted the newest students to the Barak Campus to have a better understanding of who William Barak was and the times in which he lived.
Ian Hunter visited the College and spoke to the Year 10 students about his great great uncle William Barak, after whom our campus is named, and also his great great grandmother Annie Boorat. The talk was a good introduction to cultural awareness for the Year 10s. Mr Hunter is pictured with Mr Hysted and Year 10 Level Learning Advisor Miss Cass Poynter.
Here is a student reflection from Elena Atanasovski (Year 10 White):
The reconciliation talk was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to gain more knowledge about the Aborigines of earlier years. This informative talk, presented by Ian Hunter, gave me more of an insight into the rich history of Australia.
Ian is a fantastic speaker and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him — his expression and energy made the presentation quite intriguing. Ian told fascinating stories regarding his ancestors and the impact they have had on the country we live in today. There are many indigenous names and titles to navigate around this school, so learning about an influential figure such as William Barak was very insightful.
Throughout the presentation, images of Ian’s relatives were showcased — each with their own significant characteristics and pastimes. It was incredible to see and understand the amount of history that has been passed down from generation to generation in his family. Not only did his presentation teach me and the rest of the Year 10s about William Barak and his family, but it also taught us the importance of keeping family history alive. I am very thankful that Ian took the time to speak to our year level. The reconciliation talk is certainly an experience I will not soon forget.
Meanwhile, I recently visited Worawa Aboriginal College in Healesville (pictured in the gallery) as part of my work with the Box Hill Hawks Football Club. Worawa provides a holistic education and boarding experience for young Aboriginal women in the secondary years of schooling. Students come from Aboriginal communities across Australia. Worawa has a strong sports program with girls engaged in College teams of football, basketball and netball. The College has a number of formal partnerships with sporting associations. The Box Hill Hawks Academy, as part of their ‘spread their wings’ community program, made a generous donation of sports gear to the College.
Even now, as we completed another COVID-19 lockdown this week, new life and hope is springing forth on the farm. Lambs, newly halter-trained and very keen for treats, greet our students, our new hens are settling in and produce is ready to be picked.
When students returned to the College, the beauty and joy of the College’s McAuley Park Farm was waiting for them to wander through, learn, relax and appreciate the wonder of new life.
The farm team remained busy during lockdown, preparing the grounds and looking after the welfare of the animals.
Swimming training (pictured) is held on Monday afternoons, 3.30-4.30pm, and on Wednesday mornings, 7.00-8.00am, at Kilsyth Pool. Training is held to improve students’ swimming and fitness levels. ALL abilities are welcome. Commendations and House points are up for grabs and it’s free to join in. Students will be bussed from the College to the pool on Mondays and back to the College from the pool on Wednesdays. Breakfast is also provided on Wednesdays. Please see/email Ms Webb in the Doyle Centre for more details.
The annual MLMC Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday 26 February at the Lilydale Outdoor Pool. See the flyer attached.
The Division 2 EISM Swimming Carnival will be held on Tuesday 9 March at Ringwood Aquanation and the EISM Champions Carnival will be held on Monday 22 March at MSAC.
If you have any student achievements, please email them to dwebb@mlmc.vic.edu.au
With the Summer seasons of Year 8, 9 and Senior EISM Sport all now underway, please remember the following:
| Senior Results 3 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Cricket | Donvale | 9/115 - 113 | MLMC | Justin Beaton |
| Year 8 Results 9 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball | Luther | 35-18 | MLMC | Rory George |
Boys Hockey | Luther | 0-3 | Luther | Alex Maffescioni |
Boys Softball | Luther | 12-3 | MLMC | Sam Corrone |
Boys Tennis | Luther | 0-4 | Luther | Anthony Frankovic |
Boys Table Tennis A | Luther | 0-6 | Luther | James Healey |
Boys Table Tennis B | Luther | 5-1 | MLMC | Bosco Buansing |
Girls Basketball | Luther | 32-15 | MLMC | Zarley McGregor |
Girls Soccer | Luther | 4-0 | MLMC | Scarlett Henderson |
Girls Tennis | Luther | 0-4 | Luther | Layla McIlfatrick |
Girls Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 0-3 | Emmaus | Shona Lillie |
Girls Table Tennis B | Luther | 2-4 | Luther | Ava Champion |
| Senior Results 10 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball A | Emmaus | 29-54 | Emmaus | Hunter Bourke-Finn |
Boys Basketball B | Emmaus | 36-31 | MLMC | Daniel Spinks |
Boys Cricket | Eltham | 0/54 - 50 | MLMC | Campbell Manser |
Boys Hockey | Emmaus | 0-5 | Emmaus | Blake Payne |
Boys Softball | Emmaus | 4-3 | MLMC | Billy Welsh |
Boys Tennis | Emmaus | 0-4 | Emmaus | Tom Majdancic |
Boys Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 2-4 | Emmaus | James Maffescioni |
Boys Table Tennis B | Emmaus | 2-4 | Emmaus | Brayden Somers |
Boys Ultimate Frisbee Gold | Aquinas | 10-9 | MLMC | Marcus Hamilton |
Boys Ultimate Frisbee Blue | Emmaus | 10-0 | MLMC | Will Smith |
Girls Basketball A | Emmaus | 30-47 | Emmaus | Cheyenne Moore |
Girls Basketball B | Emmaus | 13-54 | Emmaus | Perry Byron |
Girls Super 8’s Cricket | Rescheduled | NA | ||
Girls Soccer | Emmaus | 1-0 | MLMC | Karri Pritchard |
Girls Softball | Emmaus | Forfeit | MLMC | NA |
Girls Tennis | Emmaus | 2-0 | MLMC | Holly Johns |
Girls Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 3-1 | MLMC | Monique Bonanne |
Girls Table Tennis B | Emmaus | 1-3 | Emmaus | Karen Mwagiru |
Girls Ultimate Frisbee Gold | Aquinas | 18-8 | MLMC | Kelly Whitchell |
Girls Ultimate Frisbee Blue | Emmaus | 8-0 | MLMC | Sabina Lantouris |
| Year 9 Results 18 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball Gold A | Mt Scopus | 42-23 | MLMC | Ryan Nunziate |
Boys Basketball Gold B | Mt Scopus | 53-26 | MLMC | Kade Chippendale |
Boys Basketball Blue A | Luther | 35-44 | Luther | Cooper Rosenauer |
Boys Basketball Blue B | Luther | 25-38 | Luther | Anthony Marek |
Boys Indoor Soccer | Luther | 2-4 | Luther | Mawson Sunderland |
Boys Softball | Luther | 8-1 | MLMC | Ryder Wilson |
Boys Tennis | Luther | 4-0 | MLMC | Ethan Condon |
Boys Touch Football | Luther | 2-8 | Luther | Ben Hendriks |
Girls Basketball Gold A | Mt Scopus | 24-18 | MLMC | Stella Beyer |
Girls Basketball Gold B | Mt Scopus | 18-24 | Mt Scopus | |
Girls Basketball Blue A | Luther | 20-34 | Luther | Sophie Southall |
Girls Basketball Blue B | Luther | 12-36 | Luther | Alex Wheeler |
Girls Indoor Soccer | Luther | 1-8 | Luther | Alannah Rudan |
Girls Softball | Luther | 3-8 | Luther | Emma Martin |
Girls Tennis | Luther | 3-1 | MLMC | Charli Gilligan |
Girls Touch Football | Luther | 3-7 | Luther | Chloe Morris |
This year Mount Lilydale Mercy College is celebrating its 125th anniversary. To celebrate this wonderous milestone the College will publish a book that features 125 stories from 125 Years of MLMC.
Below is one of those 125 stories. It features Glenys Heath and Lynne McLaughlin — both strong and dynamic women who forged roles at the College in this era but whose lives were tragically cut short in 1992.
We look forward to sharing more of these stories with you over the coming weeks.
Glenys Heath joined the College in 1975 and guided the Creative Arts Department through its formative years, establishing it as a strong component of the curriculum. She was described in the yearbook as “a woman of insight, wisdom, compassion and balanced judgement”, who had “a full understanding of the meaning of education”. Glenys also brought these qualities to her role of Senior Campus Coordinator. In this capacity much of her work was directly related to the counselling of students. The College held dear her “creative and sensitive influence” and it was said that the lives of many students “have been enhanced by her presence”. The Glenys Heath Memorial Award is named in her honour, as is the Heath building. Both her sons and two grandsons have attended the College.
Lynne McLaughlin oversaw the Humanities department at the College. Described as “a woman of vision with great inner strength, a free thinker and a woman of faith”, her leadership qualities were apparent in her ability to unite people to work towards a common goal. It was noted that “she was forthright in her views, with a great sense of justice and preparedness to pursue such issues, daring to be different and innovative. As a teacher she had no peer; she was a gifted public speaker and the depth and richness of her knowledge in all areas was a source of inspiration. Her students respected her because she set down guidelines based on courtesy and consideration for all and shared her own delight in learning”.
Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community,
Happy birthday, or rather, happy ‘a year of birthday celebrations’, as we enter our 125th year as a Mercy community atop Rourke’s Hill here in Lilydale. Just as it is important that we celebrate milestones in the lives of our young people, it is important that we celebrate them as a community.
Spread all over my desk at the moment, as they are never far from reach, are a number of books and booklets to which I often refer.
Books about Catherine: The Little Book of Catherine of Dublin, Inspired by Catherine and the Mercy through the Years Calendar.
Books about Mercy: Sisters of Mercy.
And books that tell story about our College, of which there are many. The College’s annual publication Coolock is a great example which provides great history, but there are two which are favourites:
Mount Lilydale College: A Century of Mercy written (edited) by former staff member Mr Adrian Reilly, and, A Decade’s Turning 1975-1985.
They are favourites because they provide great story of the Sisters, staff, student body and parent community that worked as community to provide a College, the joys of which we share today.
We intend to mark this year with some key celebrations:
A committee has been working for more than 18 months to plan these events and hopefully COVID-19 will not impact them too much.
This year is a celebration of our story and so I wish to share with you some of that story with a collection of excerpts from the aforementioned book, Mount Lilydale College: A Century of Mercy:
The Lilydale Express, January 10 1896
LOCAL AND DISTRICT NEWS: We would direct public attention to the fact that on the 20th inst., a primary school will be opened in connection with the new Convent of Mercy, Lilydale. To those parents desirous of obtaining a high class of education for their children, an opportunity is now offered, for in conjunction with the above a high school will be opened. Full particulars of the establishment of these schools may be obtained from Rev, Mother at the presbytery, Clarke St Lilydale.
The Lilydale Express, April 10 1896
CONVENT OF MERCY, LILYDALE: Pupils for music, painting and fancy work will be received at the Convent of Mercy, Lilydale, after the Easter Holidays. The fancy work will include all the latest novelties – Rococo Work, Fish Scale Work, Tapestry Work, Point Lace, Mount Mellick Work, Raised Plush Work, Arasene Ivory Work, Hungarian Work, Macrame Lace, Leather Work, etc. Also CRAYON and PENCILDRAWING.
The Lilydale Express, November 13 1896
CONVENT OF MERCY, LILYDALE: The foundation Stone of the new convent will be laid on Sunday, November 15th at 3pm., by HIS GRACE THE ARCHBISHOP OF MELBOURNE. The REV. ISAAC MOORE S.J., will preach the occasional sermon. The public are cordially invited to attend.
God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal
Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need.
Almighty and ever living God,
you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus;
seeking you in those we often ignore.
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter.
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
Amen
With this warmer weather it is timely to remind families that during Terms 1 and 4 the College SunSmart Policy requires students to wear hats at recess and lunch. The only hat that is permitted is the College bucket hat. Replacement hats can be purchased from the Uniform Shop. Please ensure your child’s name is clearly written inside the hat. We also encourage sunscreen to be applied and this is available from various locations around the school.
Another important aspect of caring for your child is the College’s practices in regards to Child Safe Standards. This involves refining risk-management strategies, improving opportunities for student voice and developing staff awareness of best practice so that our students remain safe and empowered to seek help if the need arises.
Please make yourself familiar with the College’s Child Safe Policy by visiting the College website's 'Policies' menu, or click HERE.
The College meets this standard by ensuring that:
I trust that parents and guardians appreciate that the College takes the role of protecting students from harm seriously and that we are continually seeking to improve child-safe practices within the College.
An area that is often overlooked by students and parents is the process of making contact with each other during the course of the school day. I would ask that parents continue to observe the procedure of using the College Office if there is a need to contact students during school hours. While it may seem more straightforward to contact your child directly via their mobile phone, this can create other issues. Students can only be dismissed from the care of the school if we have prior contact from a parent. The same applies if you need to drop something off to your child during the course of the school day. Please do so through the College Office. Please support us by asking your child to have the College contact you if they are unwell or need your assistance.
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school excursions, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card, are a temporary foster parent or a student between 16 to 18 years old and have a means-tested Disability Pension or Youth Allowance card, you may be eligible for CSEF. The allowance is paid directly to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is $225 for secondary school students.
If you applied for CSEF at MLMC in 2020, you do not need to complete an application form in 2021 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. The College will apply for CSEF on your behalf. You will need to submit an application form in 2021 if any of the following changes have occurred:
Please note the following — if there is shared custody:
Application forms should be completed and lodged with the College as soon as possible in Term 1 as payments are made from March onwards. However, the College will be able to accept and process applications up until Friday 25 June 2021 (the last day of Term 2).
Parents must lodge a CSEF application form with a photocopy of their Health Care/Pension Card.
CSEF payments are for the current application year and cannot be claimed retrospectively for prior years.
CSEF application forms are available to download from either our MLMC Finance Website or from www.education.vic.gov.au/csef. We have also attached an application form. NO LATE APPLICATIONS CAN BE ACCEPTED. For more information about the CSEF contact the Finance department on 9237 1315 or visit www.education.vic.gov.au/csef
The Bob Stewart Uniform Shop at the College is no longer open on a Saturday. Opening hours are:
The Croydon store is open on a Saturday. Its opening hours are:
The Croydon store is located at Ground Floor 1-3, 1-7 Maroondah Highway, Croydon (corner of Kallay St).
Our Year 7 students enjoyed a full and busy week of activities from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February to ensure they are set up for a smooth transition into secondary school.
Five homerooms headed to Gundiwindi Lodge in Wandin and the YMCA camp at Mt Evelyn Recreation Reserve for three days of Year 7 Camp on Monday 8 February, while the other five homerooms stayed at the College to take part in our Stepping Forward program. Then the groups swapped over on the Wednesday, ensuring all students had the opportunity to build close connections with their peers and teachers and build key foundations for a full year of learning.
The Stepping Forward program included online testing and tips for home study, author Sharon Witt (pictured in the gallery) was guest speaker on the topic ‘Surviving High School’, students received their Chromebooks and learnt about cyber safety, the Careers team discussed individual learning styles, the Counsellors workshopped ideas about friendships and settling in, students again visited the Library and they also visited our Chapel (pictured in the second image gallery below) where they learnt about our Mercy heritage and the story of Catherine McAuley.
I enjoyed camp because there were lots of different activities to do that got you thinking, exercising, and most importantly having fun. My group did the flying fox on the first day and we had to each talk about the 'something special' we brought along. We did more activities including initiatives, giant swing and banner making. My favourite activity was the giant swing because the adrenaline makes it feel exciting. There were also other things like night walks and trivia. My favourite part of camp was meeting new friends and hanging out with the animals. Camp was really fun!
— Alyssa Olszewski (7 Orange)
Gundiwindi Lodge, Wandin (Monday-Wednesday)
Camp was all about team building, making new friends and getting to know your class. And it definitely worked. I made new friends, got to know the people in my class, a lot better, and even got over some of my fears. My group (the Green Grizzlies) were super supportive to everyone and always made me laugh. To accomplish most of the activities you also had to use teamwork and strategy, while relying on and trusting your teammates. We laughed every time we got it wrong and tried again. I liked the giant swing because it was fun and an adrenaline rush. I liked initiatives because it was all about team building. For me camp was pretty darn good.
— Lily Cochrane (7 Green)
Gundiwindi Lodge (Wednesday-Friday)
Camp has given me the opportunity to get to know my peers and teachers a little more and at the same time experience what school camp is like, as unfortunately due to COVID-19 my Grade 6 camp did not go ahead. Year 7 Camp was an amazing, unforgettable experience. We were given the opportunity to do lots of fun activities such as crate stack, giant swing, low ropes, high ropes and we even got to make the class banner. I thought the giant swing was going to be the scariest, least-fun activity, but it turned out to be the best one. I did things I never thought I’d be able to do. The memories I had will last forever.
— Lara Mhanna (7 Gold)
Mt Evelyn (Monday-Wednesday)
We did lots of marvellous activities on the three days, including night walks, crate stack, high and low ropes courses, hut building and initiatives, but my personal favourite was the giant swing. Everyone else helped pull you to the top, or as high as you wanted. Then you would pull a rope and fly through the sky with the fresh air in your face. I made lots of new friends. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
— Sete Tevi (7 Bronze)
Mt Evelyn (Wednesday-Friday)
The activities we did were the giant swing, the flying fox, cooking damper, archery, ‘something special’ activity circle and the low ropes course. My favourite was the flying fox because it was fun to take a leap and be taken out of your comfort zone. We were also able to spend time jumping on the trampoline, playing volleyball with friends and peer support or visit the animals. I really enjoyed camp, I made new friends and had so much fun.
— Aiden Thomas (7 Green)
Gundiwindi Lodge (Wednesday-Friday)
Bronze, Silver and Jade went to the Mt Evelyn camp. The activities we did were crate stacking, giant swing, hut building, making a banner, low ropes, high ropes and initiatives. My personal favourite would have to be the giant swing, which was 18 metres high! All the staff were very nice and the lunches were delicious. We all had a great time and were laughing at the end of the initiatives activity. This camp was great fun and I would give it a 10 out of 10.
— Alannah Finn (7 Bronze)
Mt Evelyn (Wednesday-Friday)
Recognising that adolescents at Year 9 are undergoing developmental change, where peer relationships significantly impact wellbeing and classroom learning is seen as unconnected to the real world, this year the College is proud to introduce the Compass program for our Year 9 students.
The program began last week with students identifying and exploring their learning strengths. During the ‘Escape Room’ team challenge, team members with a range of skills were called on to build a hut out of icy pole sticks and tape, with a working door and the potential to withstand a storm. Other puzzles involved language skills, memory and concentration, sequencing and planning before they finally escaped the room. Collaboration is a key 21st century work habit that MLMC strives to teach all students as we prepare them for the future.
The Compass program will consist of two components:
Through the introduction of The Rite Journey students will receive tools which assist in the transition between adolescent and adult decision making, life skills and interpersonal development. The Compass program includes units of investigation based on the College Vision for Learning, and the Victorian Curriculum General Capabilities designed to improve engagement and learning habits.
The Rite Journey and Compass will occur on dedicated whole days each week so that learning has depth and students have time to develop their ideas, creativity and enterprise. Both collaborative and individual learning are encouraged, as are the development of thinking skills, study skills, passion in a desired area and social justice. Key elements include an off-site camp, career development, senior pathways selection, entrepreneurial skills, city experience and community engagement.
Every year in Year 10 we run a Peer Support Program that is designed to help empower around 50 Year 10 students to serve and support the student community at MLMC. The main focus at the start of the year is to help the new Year 7 students have a safe and successful transition to secondary school life.
After a full planning and training day at the end of last year, the Year 10 Peer Support team arrived at the College bright and early on the Year 7 students’ first day and spent the morning helping the Graduating Class of 2026 get settled in (pictured). You could see on the faces of the newest members of our community that they appreciated the kind, smiling faces that welcomed them on their first day.
The Peer Support team were also lucky enough to attend one evening at each of the two Year 7 camps. Hours of planning and teamwork helped these amazing student leaders to run more than one hour of fun team-building activities for their Year 7 peers. They were also able to support the Year 7 teaching team by helping run the post-dinner trivia and 'Fractured Fairytale' nights. As the Year 10 Level Leader, it really was a pleasure to witness such a large group of the cohort striving in their efforts to support, encourage and care for an entire year level of new students.
Although we are only a few weeks into the first term of 2021, the Year 10 Peer Support team have already been called on several times to serve and support their student peers. They have stepped up to the plate on every occasion so far and been so generous with their time and energy. I look forward to seeing everything that they are able to achieve this year, and into the years to come.
The Peer Support Program is the perfect starting point for students who want to participate in future leadership opportunities such as the Year 11 Yellow Ribbon Ambassadors program and a Student Leadership Team position in Year 12. The Peer Support Program is perfect for the Year 10 students of 2021 as it allows them to live out not only the College's Mercy value of Service, but the Year 10 Mercy value of Hospitality.
Year 12 is a year full of challenges and it takes resilience and commitment to succeed. To assist the Year 12 students at MLMC to start to think about and plan their final steps in their secondary school journey and career pathway, the students were involved in a Planning for Success Day on Thursday 11 February.
The aim of the day was to challenge the students to reach high so that at the end of the year they can look back at their final year knowing that they have given their best. Facilitated by staff, the students attended different sessions dealing with career pathways, as well as goal setting and health and wellbeing.
Academic goal setting is an important component in encouraging our students to reach high, and one of the sessions concentrated on challenging the students to set SMART goals in order to plan for the academic standard required to obtain an ATAR score that will provide them with the greatest opportunities as well as self-satisfaction at the end of the year.
The other part of the day focussed on health and wellbeing. The Year 12 year is a long one with continuous assessment competing with the need to maintain a balanced lifestyle. Year Level Leader Mr Andrew Leaumont and Barak Campus Learning Advisor Mrs Tamara Rundle spoke to the students about the need to look after themselves, working towards a growth mindset and the different support networks available when things get tough.
It was a very busy day with lots of information to take in but staff will be continuing to work with the students on their goals throughout the year as we work together to make 2021 a successful year for all.
The Year 10 cohort came together for an assembly on Tuesday 9 February. The first Year 10 assembly of the year has traditionally included a formal introduction to our Barak Campus, which is for our senior students in Years 10, 11 and 12.
Year 10 Level Leader Mr Greg Hysted invited Ian Hunter, a descendent of William Barak, to speak at the assembly as he wanted the newest students to the Barak Campus to have a better understanding of who William Barak was and the times in which he lived.
Ian Hunter visited the College and spoke to the Year 10 students about his great great uncle William Barak, after whom our campus is named, and also his great great grandmother Annie Boorat. The talk was a good introduction to cultural awareness for the Year 10s. Mr Hunter is pictured with Mr Hysted and Year 10 Level Learning Advisor Miss Cass Poynter.
Here is a student reflection from Elena Atanasovski (Year 10 White):
The reconciliation talk was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to gain more knowledge about the Aborigines of earlier years. This informative talk, presented by Ian Hunter, gave me more of an insight into the rich history of Australia.
Ian is a fantastic speaker and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him — his expression and energy made the presentation quite intriguing. Ian told fascinating stories regarding his ancestors and the impact they have had on the country we live in today. There are many indigenous names and titles to navigate around this school, so learning about an influential figure such as William Barak was very insightful.
Throughout the presentation, images of Ian’s relatives were showcased — each with their own significant characteristics and pastimes. It was incredible to see and understand the amount of history that has been passed down from generation to generation in his family. Not only did his presentation teach me and the rest of the Year 10s about William Barak and his family, but it also taught us the importance of keeping family history alive. I am very thankful that Ian took the time to speak to our year level. The reconciliation talk is certainly an experience I will not soon forget.
Meanwhile, I recently visited Worawa Aboriginal College in Healesville (pictured in the gallery) as part of my work with the Box Hill Hawks Football Club. Worawa provides a holistic education and boarding experience for young Aboriginal women in the secondary years of schooling. Students come from Aboriginal communities across Australia. Worawa has a strong sports program with girls engaged in College teams of football, basketball and netball. The College has a number of formal partnerships with sporting associations. The Box Hill Hawks Academy, as part of their ‘spread their wings’ community program, made a generous donation of sports gear to the College.
Even now, as we completed another COVID-19 lockdown this week, new life and hope is springing forth on the farm. Lambs, newly halter-trained and very keen for treats, greet our students, our new hens are settling in and produce is ready to be picked.
When students returned to the College, the beauty and joy of the College’s McAuley Park Farm was waiting for them to wander through, learn, relax and appreciate the wonder of new life.
The farm team remained busy during lockdown, preparing the grounds and looking after the welfare of the animals.
Swimming training (pictured) is held on Monday afternoons, 3.30-4.30pm, and on Wednesday mornings, 7.00-8.00am, at Kilsyth Pool. Training is held to improve students’ swimming and fitness levels. ALL abilities are welcome. Commendations and House points are up for grabs and it’s free to join in. Students will be bussed from the College to the pool on Mondays and back to the College from the pool on Wednesdays. Breakfast is also provided on Wednesdays. Please see/email Ms Webb in the Doyle Centre for more details.
The annual MLMC Swimming Carnival will be held on Friday 26 February at the Lilydale Outdoor Pool. See the flyer attached.
The Division 2 EISM Swimming Carnival will be held on Tuesday 9 March at Ringwood Aquanation and the EISM Champions Carnival will be held on Monday 22 March at MSAC.
If you have any student achievements, please email them to dwebb@mlmc.vic.edu.au
With the Summer seasons of Year 8, 9 and Senior EISM Sport all now underway, please remember the following:
| Senior Results 3 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Cricket | Donvale | 9/115 - 113 | MLMC | Justin Beaton |
| Year 8 Results 9 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball | Luther | 35-18 | MLMC | Rory George |
Boys Hockey | Luther | 0-3 | Luther | Alex Maffescioni |
Boys Softball | Luther | 12-3 | MLMC | Sam Corrone |
Boys Tennis | Luther | 0-4 | Luther | Anthony Frankovic |
Boys Table Tennis A | Luther | 0-6 | Luther | James Healey |
Boys Table Tennis B | Luther | 5-1 | MLMC | Bosco Buansing |
Girls Basketball | Luther | 32-15 | MLMC | Zarley McGregor |
Girls Soccer | Luther | 4-0 | MLMC | Scarlett Henderson |
Girls Tennis | Luther | 0-4 | Luther | Layla McIlfatrick |
Girls Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 0-3 | Emmaus | Shona Lillie |
Girls Table Tennis B | Luther | 2-4 | Luther | Ava Champion |
| Senior Results 10 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball A | Emmaus | 29-54 | Emmaus | Hunter Bourke-Finn |
Boys Basketball B | Emmaus | 36-31 | MLMC | Daniel Spinks |
Boys Cricket | Eltham | 0/54 - 50 | MLMC | Campbell Manser |
Boys Hockey | Emmaus | 0-5 | Emmaus | Blake Payne |
Boys Softball | Emmaus | 4-3 | MLMC | Billy Welsh |
Boys Tennis | Emmaus | 0-4 | Emmaus | Tom Majdancic |
Boys Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 2-4 | Emmaus | James Maffescioni |
Boys Table Tennis B | Emmaus | 2-4 | Emmaus | Brayden Somers |
Boys Ultimate Frisbee Gold | Aquinas | 10-9 | MLMC | Marcus Hamilton |
Boys Ultimate Frisbee Blue | Emmaus | 10-0 | MLMC | Will Smith |
Girls Basketball A | Emmaus | 30-47 | Emmaus | Cheyenne Moore |
Girls Basketball B | Emmaus | 13-54 | Emmaus | Perry Byron |
Girls Super 8’s Cricket | Rescheduled | NA | ||
Girls Soccer | Emmaus | 1-0 | MLMC | Karri Pritchard |
Girls Softball | Emmaus | Forfeit | MLMC | NA |
Girls Tennis | Emmaus | 2-0 | MLMC | Holly Johns |
Girls Table Tennis A | Emmaus | 3-1 | MLMC | Monique Bonanne |
Girls Table Tennis B | Emmaus | 1-3 | Emmaus | Karen Mwagiru |
Girls Ultimate Frisbee Gold | Aquinas | 18-8 | MLMC | Kelly Whitchell |
Girls Ultimate Frisbee Blue | Emmaus | 8-0 | MLMC | Sabina Lantouris |
| Year 9 Results 18 February | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sport | Opponent | Result | Winner | Best Player |
Boys Basketball Gold A | Mt Scopus | 42-23 | MLMC | Ryan Nunziate |
Boys Basketball Gold B | Mt Scopus | 53-26 | MLMC | Kade Chippendale |
Boys Basketball Blue A | Luther | 35-44 | Luther | Cooper Rosenauer |
Boys Basketball Blue B | Luther | 25-38 | Luther | Anthony Marek |
Boys Indoor Soccer | Luther | 2-4 | Luther | Mawson Sunderland |
Boys Softball | Luther | 8-1 | MLMC | Ryder Wilson |
Boys Tennis | Luther | 4-0 | MLMC | Ethan Condon |
Boys Touch Football | Luther | 2-8 | Luther | Ben Hendriks |
Girls Basketball Gold A | Mt Scopus | 24-18 | MLMC | Stella Beyer |
Girls Basketball Gold B | Mt Scopus | 18-24 | Mt Scopus | |
Girls Basketball Blue A | Luther | 20-34 | Luther | Sophie Southall |
Girls Basketball Blue B | Luther | 12-36 | Luther | Alex Wheeler |
Girls Indoor Soccer | Luther | 1-8 | Luther | Alannah Rudan |
Girls Softball | Luther | 3-8 | Luther | Emma Martin |
Girls Tennis | Luther | 3-1 | MLMC | Charli Gilligan |
Girls Touch Football | Luther | 3-7 | Luther | Chloe Morris |
This year Mount Lilydale Mercy College is celebrating its 125th anniversary. To celebrate this wonderous milestone the College will publish a book that features 125 stories from 125 Years of MLMC.
Below is one of those 125 stories. It features Glenys Heath and Lynne McLaughlin — both strong and dynamic women who forged roles at the College in this era but whose lives were tragically cut short in 1992.
We look forward to sharing more of these stories with you over the coming weeks.
Glenys Heath joined the College in 1975 and guided the Creative Arts Department through its formative years, establishing it as a strong component of the curriculum. She was described in the yearbook as “a woman of insight, wisdom, compassion and balanced judgement”, who had “a full understanding of the meaning of education”. Glenys also brought these qualities to her role of Senior Campus Coordinator. In this capacity much of her work was directly related to the counselling of students. The College held dear her “creative and sensitive influence” and it was said that the lives of many students “have been enhanced by her presence”. The Glenys Heath Memorial Award is named in her honour, as is the Heath building. Both her sons and two grandsons have attended the College.
Lynne McLaughlin oversaw the Humanities department at the College. Described as “a woman of vision with great inner strength, a free thinker and a woman of faith”, her leadership qualities were apparent in her ability to unite people to work towards a common goal. It was noted that “she was forthright in her views, with a great sense of justice and preparedness to pursue such issues, daring to be different and innovative. As a teacher she had no peer; she was a gifted public speaker and the depth and richness of her knowledge in all areas was a source of inspiration. Her students respected her because she set down guidelines based on courtesy and consideration for all and shared her own delight in learning”.